Year 11 Biology/Senior Science Freshwater Aquatic Ecosystem Fieldwork Outcome: 1. Use scientific techniques to investigate how the distribution, diversity and numbers of plants and animals in ecosystems are determined by biotic and abiotic factors 2. Use appropriate instruments and techniques, such as quadrats and transects to identify how each aquatic ecosystem is unique. Name: ________________________________________________________ Stations -­‐ 1A & 1B. Abiotic Factors 2. Bird Observation 4. Water Bug I.D 5. Plant I.D 3. Dipnetting 6. Transect STATIONS 1A AND 1B – Abiotic Factors Use test kit to collect abiotic data for each site Site Descriptions: Site 1A – BigPond (Duck Pond) Site 1B – Small Pond (Perched Wetland) Factor Equipment/Units Data – Site 1A Big Pond Data – Site 1B Small Pond 1.Water Temperature 2. Turbidity 3. Water pH 4. Conductivity or Total Dissolved Solids (Salts) 5. Dissolved Oxygen mg/L % mg/L % 6.Phosphate (Nutrient) 7. Light 8. Slope 9. Wind Exposure (Speed) 10. Water Depth Depth markers and general knowledge of lakes 4 to 5 metres 80 cm 11. Elevation Trig Station – black and white poles 15m 18m 12. Water Source Observe. Shallow ponds mainly runoff. Deeper ponds have groundwater and runoff. 13. Visual Pollution Visual Assessment. Use your eyes. There could be no pollution, a little or a lot (Height above sea level) STATION 2 – Bird Observation Abundance and Distribution Fill in Column 10 for birds found on this site. Total lines and columns as shown in the sample Waterbird Counts at 10 survey sites
Bird Species / Site No.
Eg
Example: Waterbird
1. Australian Grebe
1
2
6
2
3
4
6
7
4
6
2. Australian Wood Duck
5
3
8
2
4
7
6. Great Egret
1
7. Little Black Cormorant
12
6
8
11. Pelican
4
13. White-faced Heron
12
1
1
2
7
9
8
6
1
2
1
14. Royal Spoonbill
4
4
1
12 Purple Swamphen
4
1
8. Little Pied Cormorant
10. Pacific Black Duck
15
3
2
6
Distribution
12
4
3
9. Masked Lapwing
Abundance
2
2
5. Eurasian Coot
10*
1
2
1
9
3
3
3. Blackwinged Stilt
4. Dusky Moorhen
8
1
1
Total Abundance per Site
10
Total Species per Site
3
STATION 3 – Dipnetting – Invertebrate Data Collection 1. Location: ______________________________________________________ 2. Date: ___________________________ 3. Name of Ecosystem: ________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Describe the technique used to sample the abundance of invertebrates. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ STATION 4 – Waterbug (Invertebrate) I.D. Invertebrate Name
Viewer No.
Backswimmer
Beetle Larvae
Caddisfly Larvae
Damselfly Nymph
Dragonfly Nymph
Freshwater Shrimp
Giant Water Bug
Invertebrate Name
Viewer No.
Leech
Mayfly Nymph
Mosquito Larvae
Pond Snail
Tadpole
Water Beetle
Water Boatman
Invertebrate Name
Viewer No.
Water Mite
Water Scorpion
Water Spider
Water Treader
Worm
Mosquito Fish
Other -
Complete the following:
Total number of species identified: _____________________________ Dominant species _______________________________ Possible reasons for dominance ______________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ STATION 5 – Plant I.D. Use the colour pictures and plant specimens to observe the main plants found in this location. Plant
Description
Plant
Description
A.
Common Rush
Small brown flowers, green
stem
G.
River Clubrush
Tall green reed, bunch of brown
flowers
B.
Slender Knotweed
Thin leaf, white/pink small
flower (all year)
H.
Water Lily
The leaves are large pads. Large
‘pink’ flowers in summer
I.
Ribbonweed
A submerged aquatic plant
with delicate ribbon-like leaves
J.
Pondweed
Submerged leaf-like structures
whorled around hollow stem.
C.
Water Primrose
Dark green rounded leaf,
yellow flower (summer)
D.
Water Couch
Green grass
E.
Tall Spikerush
Thin round large reed with
pointy top
F.
Tall flat reed, fairy floss seeds
Cumbungi (Bullrush) (summer)
K.
Floating leathery leaves, fibre
Salvinia (introduced) root system
L.
______________
STATION 6 – Transect Quadrat size _____________________ cm Quadrat Interval ______________________ metres Biotic Factor - vegetation
A. Common Rush
1
2
% of the plant in each quadrat
3
4
5
6
7
8
B. Slender Knotweed
C. Water Primrose
D. Water Couch
E. Tall Spikerush
F. Cumbungi (Bullrush)
G. River Clubrush
H. Water Lily
I. Ribbonweed
J. Pondweed
K. Salvinia (Introduced)
L.
Abiotic - Water Depth (cm)
Complete transect using plant letters above and depth measurements (use dots and join on graph)
Depth (cm) 0 Water Level
30 60 90 120 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Distance from bank in metres (a quadrat is placed at one metre intervals) 8 CONCLUSION/WRAP UP Key relationships between ponds: Temperature and Light • Big Pond is in full sun and much larger body of water = warmer than Little Pond and less
temperature variability;
Turbidity, Light and D.O • Big pond has lower turbidity (abiotic factor) = more aquatic plants (biotic factor) = more
D.O (abiotic factor) = more invertebrates/aquatic life (biotic factor)
Note: a minimum of 60% D.O is required for gill breathers such as dragonfly nymphs;
pH and Conductivity • Big Pond water source is groundwater which is salty = higher pH and conductivity;
Phosphate and Water Source • Little Pond is perched wetland designed to hold/clean the runoff from nursery/car park
= higher phosphate levels and at greater risk of blue green algae outbreaks
Additional Notes: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tropic Orders Name the order and the examples shown: Adaptations Fill in the missing words to complete the plants and animal adaptions: Tall Spike Rush is hollow and uses _____________________ to inflate its stem in order to to remain upright and provide maximum surface area for sunlight absorption/photosynthesis and flotation. Its flower and _______________________ is right at the top so it has maximum exposure to wind and open water. It also clumps to aid in protection from wind and currents. Dragonfly Nymph • Has an extendable lower ________ to grasp its prey at a (200th
of a second – fastest of any living thing.)
• Strong legs for grasping reeds and assisting in swimming.
• Internal _________ that double as a form of locomotion
when required (acts like a jet propulsion).
• Compound ___________________ for better field of view.
• Colouration/camouflage to disguise themselves amongst the
detritus.
GENERAL NOTE TAKING _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________